Mobile Social Media Disconnect Challenge

(picture courtesy of Blomberg.com)

Cell Phone Technology is fantastic, but lately I've been overwhelmed by it.  I mean come on, there is practically anything you can imagine for smartphones - with more on the way.  I'm not saying this is a bad thing, to be perfectly honest I love my smartphone!  It's like having my desk top computer in the palm of my hands - which is very convenient.

So what's the problem?  Well, I've become one of those people that can't leave the room without my Droid (Droid X to be exact) and when I do, I break-out in a cold sweat while running around looking for it.  With all the social media and other apps I have, it's amazing that I actually HAVE a life: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Etsy, ArtFire, Words, Birds (darn those birds!), News and other networking sights.  Sheesh, I need a break!

The Droid isn't exactly glued to my hands, but it is always near by - within reach that is.  In the car as a passenger it's typically in my hands or in the door cubbyhole (no, I don't text and drive, major pet peeve - I don't even like talking and driving, so I do that very little).  While out and about it's in my pocket and every once in a while I take it out to make sure it's okay.  I'll even admit that we have our phones at the dinner table.  What's next, the bedroom?

(I feel like I just confessed  my sins and I'm not even Catholic, etc.). 

So yesterday it got me thinking that I need to disconnect from all Social Media outlets via my Droid.  First I thought for 1 day.  Go ahead and laugh, I know, that's a long time.  Then I thought for 1 week, but I had to reach for the smelling salts before I passed out.  This morning when I woke up at 5:30 I decided that starting now through Monday (3 whole days people) I'm not going to use my Droid for anything except phone calls and texts - everything else can wait until I get to my PC. 

What?  Who will know if I cheat or not?  I will, I have a conscious - and Jiminy Cricket by my side. I have good self-restraint (except with my Droid I guess).  I can make a dark chocolate bar last 2 weeks - ask Mark. 

That's pretty much it.  My 3 day Mobile Social Media Disconnect Challenge.  I'll post my results on Tuesday.  Join me if you want to feel the freedom - or the bends.

Peace,
Rocki

Joyful Heart

The other day, Jen, a very sweet new buyer who is aware and doesn’t mind that I’m blogging about this and gave the okay to use her name, contacted me to see if I could make her a custom sized pinky ring from one of the rings in my shop, specifically “From My Heart To Yours."

Now I create custom orders all the time and thoroughly enjoy them for a variety of reasons, but mostly because the buyer wants something meaningful to them, needs a specific size, is a gift for someone special, holiday, birthday, etc. In any case, custom orders are very rewarding.

Jen’s request was a challenge (insert “Rocky” theme here), but a challenge that I wanted to take and create her special sized ring. I told her I would most definitely give it my best shot and if I couldn’t, then I would refund her money. She wouldn’t have that and told me that she would spend it on something else in my shop for my time and effort. This, in itself, truly touched my heart and was ever so kind of her. That made me even more determined to make her ring.

So why, you ask, am I blogging about creating this heart ring when I’ve made several custom sized ones already? Because it is the size of the ring - size 1. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not meaning for this to come across as something of an oddity and Jen knows this. Besides, I wear a size 2 pinky ring and have to wear children’s watches. Here, let me explain briefly.

When you make the ring shank (band), you have to make it smaller than the actual size you want. Why? Because you have to hammer it into shape which in turn makes the shank bigger. So in this case, I had to start at the tip of the ring mandrel at 1/8” from the top to hammer it down to a size 1 at ¼” down the mandrel.

I won’t go into all the other details of making this ring, other than the heart itself also had to be made smaller, which I always make by hand with my round nose pliers.

With love in my heart, I shipped the ring out yesterday and am very pleased with how it turned out. It is the tiniest and cutest ring I’ve ever made! I’ll admit that it was hard to part with, but she did pay for it - besides I have the pictures. The best part - it honestly brings such joy to my heart to be able to create that something special for others to enjoy and be happy with.

This is rewarding. This is why I do what I do. My heart is smiling.

Thank you Jen!

Have a happy, safe and enjoyable weekend everyone!

☼ Rocki